HTC Vive Partners With China Tourism

The partnership will help promote VR tourism as a new way of marketing across 200,000 travel stores in China.

In a move to provide virtual reality applications and cloud service solutions to travel agencies, HTC Vive is teaming up with China National Tourism Administration (CNTA).

Named as “China VR Tourism Cloud Data Service Platform”, the new partnership aims to support 200,000 offline travel stores across China to promote virtual reality as a new way of marketing.

The new travel marketing platform will integrate HTC’s Vivepaper — a virtual magazine reading platform used with a QR code printed booklet and a HTC Vive headset, or a compatible mobile VR device.

In addition to experiencing travel destinations in virtual reality, HTC Vive says the new platform will integrate other functions such as instant messaging, information sharing, online entertainment, and big data analysis to create more exciting opportunities for the tourism industry.

Photo Credit — HTC Vive China

“As the world’s largest travel market, China will now become the world’s first market to systematically apply VR technology to its tourism industry,” said Hongye Xin, Deputy Director of the Information Center, CNTA.

“In the next couple of years, we expect to see The China VR Tourism Cloud Data Service Platform take root in tens of thousands of offline stores nationwide, thus introducing a brand-new VR travel experience to consumers across the country.”

“It is a great honor for us to partner with CNTA and Renwoyou to bring this pioneering VR experience to another untapped industry,” said Alvin W. Graylin, China Regional President of Vive, HTC.

“We see the travel industry as one of the first to be disrupted by VR and with the full support of the China National Tourism Administration, we are very optimistic on its growth potential.”

Photo Credit — HTC Vive China

Developed by Vive, Vivepaper is the world’s first augmented-VR (A-VR) enhanced reading platform.

Using Vive’s VR headset (or compatible mobile VR device), users will be able to interact with a paper booklet printed with Vivepaper QR codes simply by making gestures. This includes mimicking the turning of pages or pointing at virtual objects using one’s fingers, thus allowing readers to easily immerse themselves in a world of exciting immersive content.

According to the company statement, the VR travel marketing system will be comprised of a dual-screen desktop device with one screen for customer display and one for salesperson operation.

The system will be deployed throughout the country via the Smart Tourism Offline Transaction System that can also realize a range of sales management services including electric contract signing, online notarization, and currency exchange.